Of Waiting
by feisu-chan
Summary: Everyone heals in one's own time. Sakura had done it in seven years: leaving Konoha, coping from Sasuke and forgetting a child she still hopes never existed. Sequel to OF REDEMPTION.
1. News

**Of Waiting**

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><p><em>Sequel to <em>_**Of Redemption**__. Everyone heals in their own time. Sakura had done it in seven years: leaving Konoha, coping from Sasuke and forgetting a child she still hopes never existed._

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><p><strong>Chapter I: News<strong>

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><p>Haruno Sakura ordered dinner at the small restaurant near the hospital. Being the head medic, she barely had time to cook, let alone pamper herself at the comfort of her own dining table. She was almost never home. In fact, she had practically been living in the hospital for almost a week now; only <em>visiting<em> home to get a change of clothes, clean a little or just check it up.

_Hmm. Maybe it's time to ask Gaara for my own suite in the hospital_, she pondered mischievously.

The Kazekage had grown a fondness towards the medic due to the services she had offered. Ever since she moved to Sunagakure seven years ago, the quality of the village's hospital went up, like those times decades ago when Chiyo-baa-sama had been one of the consultants. Maybe a pent house on top of the hospital could be granted to the best medical ninja in the Shinobi World at present times.

_Or maybe not_, she scoffed, as she received her plate. Knowing Gaara, she knew his stringency when it comes to expenses. He wasn't very extravagant a Kage – not that any Kage should be, or a shinobi for that matter – that every release of the budget allocation plans need to be fully reviewed by his scrutinizing eyes.

She cut her disposable chopsticks in half and started poking at her rice and tempura. Her staple diet. Rice and tempura (fish tempura, seafood tempura, vegetable tempura, any food that can be tempura'd, for Kami-sama's sake!) and miso soup. It had the essentials in it: go, grow and glow foods that could keep her stamina in good shape.

But her taste buds had been complaining, too. It was just like those times when she had to keep up with Naruto's unbelievable diet.

Sakura shook her head, as if to keep such thoughts away. And so she continued eating her dinner – without really tasting it, and concentrated on making floor plans in her head.

The night desert breeze was cool when she walked out of the shop. She headed towards another shop of sweets to at least make up for her abused palette and bought herself an anmitsu. Sakura wanted to linger a bit to check for any more goodies she could have while on duty. But there was someone on the third aisle she really didn't want to see.

Hurriedly, but discretely, she turned around and headed to the door. However, as much as she tried to take one more step outside, she couldn't. Her body was stiff as a vice, and in just seconds, was already moving back into the store on its own.

Sakura turned back around, and lo and behold! There stood Konohagakure's ambassador to Suna on his monthly visit. Nara Shikamaru had his hands across his chest, shaking his head while muttering 'good grief'.

"You're really troublesome, had to make me waste my chakra. That's not the proper way of greeting an old friend, is it?"

"Oh, Shikamaru! What a surprise! I didn't know you were in town," she faked.

"Save it, Sakura. You knew I was in town three days ago. I even left a package on your desk and I am guessing you just shoved it aside like you usually do," Shikamaru snapped, gripping her arms so she couldn't ran away as he released her from his shadow jutsu.

"Ah, hehe, you know, Shika-kun, why don't you and I go on a lunch date tomorrow to catch up," she cooed.

"Uh, not gonna happen, Sakura, but nice try. You know I'll be leaving tomorrow."

"Oh my, you are?" feigning surprise. "That's just sad! You know, there's this café –"

"Okay, stop doing that already!"

"Stop what, Shikamaru? Um, are you by any chance wandering around this shop looking for sweets for Temari-chan?"

Shikamaru laughed tentatively. "Nice try again, Sakura-_chan_. Please don't change the topic?"

She sighed in defeat. Pushing him away would be as difficult as pushing everyone else away.

"Shikamaru, I'm tired. I've heard what you have to say every month you're here for the past four years you've been a diplomat. Can we skip that and just give me good news? But save it for next month's visit as I need to go back to work."

Sakura walked back and tried to free herself from Shikamaru's grasps, but the latter only slung his hand on her shoulders to lock her in and led her outside.

"Hear ye, woman, good news number one, apparently, today is your rest day so I asked the staff if you could get off your overtime night shift, and they willingly offered you time off, and –"

"They what?"

"And good news number two, Hisa-chan got in to the Academy."

"She what?" Rage instantly took over her, shrugging his hands off her shoulders and pushing him to the pavement. "Didn't I tell you _people_ to not let her in? Didn't I?"

"As far as I know, Haruno Sakura, the decision was not for you to decide," he retorted, as he dusted himself up.

Anger was getting out of hand from inside her; she had to shut her eyes and clamp her fists, nails digging deep into her skin in the process, just to grasp control. "I don't care what you do with her, or how you raise her. But I specifically begged you all not to let her grow up as a ninja!"

"Well, you can't blame the kid, can you? She's surrounded by shinobi. Her godfather's the Hokage. Her father's an ANBU, Naruto's always beside her teaching her shinobi tricks. And Ino, that woman had already taught her basic kunoichi lessons!"

With eyes still closed, she seethed. "So, what will you do once she opened her doujutsu? Sai doesn't have Sharingan, does he?"

Shikamaru didn't speak.

"That child would know she's an Uchiha, and since none of you would tell her the truth – and I don't want you to! – she'd be looking for me! And I don't want that either!" She was glaring now, as though her eyes alone were threatening him with his life.

"Ino has a better idea."

"Oh yeah? Humor me!" She retorted. It was already almost nine in the evening, but still the town proper was a bit busy with people. Several had already passed them in that sidewalk, with some being officials who recognized them, and some were just gossip mongers thinking they were witnessing a lover's quarrel from none other than the respected pink-haired lady doctor. But said doctor just didn't care.

"We won't tell her about Uchiha Madara. Instead, her real father _was_ Sasuke. That way, the poor kid wouldn't have to go through another rejection from her dead father – not the way she had with her mother, right Sakura?" Shikamaru spat.

To which Sakura responded with a slap square on his face.

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><p><strong>Standard disclaimer applies<strong>

**Author's Note: **As said above, this is a sequel to my first fic _Of Redemption_. To old readers, I'm very glad to have you back. To new ones, confused? Haha! You can read the first one, but if you're too lazy, don't worry. I'll put as much history here as possible to cater our new readers.

I hope you all liked this pilot, and I hope it's enough to keep your interest.

Just, enjoy reading and tell me what you think! :3


	2. Father

**Chapter 2: Father**

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><p>"Otou-san! Hurry up, I'm late!" Hisashi bellowed from the kitchen downstairs.<p>

"Just a moment, kid!" Sai replied as he emerged from his room and down to where his daughter was. "You know how Kakashi is, never on time."

"Then why does he have to bring me to school today? Why can't you?" she stomped her seven-year-old left foot, annoyed that she only have fifteen minutes before the first bell.

"Because, your ji-chan only has today as his time-off from work," Sai explained, while gesturing for her to come so he could comb her hair.

"Yeah, right! He only likes to bring me along so he can use me get girls," she scoffed. "And, 'tou-san, I want my hair braided."

"The Hokage doesn't need any tricks to get a girl," he argued. Sai couldn't help but notice the striking resemblance of the pink tinge of his daughter's hair with the only woman he had deeply cared about.

Sometimes, when he looked at Hisashi and saw her blossomed tresses and her charcoal eyes, he couldn't help but believe she was really his, and it was from him that she got those eyes.

_If she was ready then, could things have worked out fine_? With him agreeing to be the father of her child, maybe today they could have been a perfect family.

In some of the books he read, it described his feelings as unrequited love. He did realize he had special feelings for her, and even proposed to her seven years ago. During those times when she was distraught and depressed enough to cut the ties with the unborn child inside her with her very own hands, he had asked her to keep it. That he'd be willing to be the father, and to support them both.

In the end, she did keep the baby, but she left it to Sai's hands for him to care alone. He was hoping he could raise the child with her. But he accepted nonetheless. It was a decision he alone had made, with no books to guide him.

But some books described his actions as martyrdom. For he knew he was nowhere near the space in her heart occupied only by Sasuke. And he knew, should Sasuke have done what Sai did, Sakura would wholeheartedly agree, even forgetting that the child she had borne was a product of her rape.

In that sense, Sai mused, she was a martyr just as he was. And that saddened him more, for nowhere – not even in those literature he'd read – that martyrs had a chance to happiness.

For martyrs die, with their faith, with their love. And through time, sonnets and songs would continue to tell their sad, sad stories. Yet could never speak of a happy ending.

"Oi, 'tou-san," Hisashi nudged. "You're so quiet, are you thinking of her again?"

"Nope. I'm concentrating on your braid."

"Liar! My hair reminds you of 'kaa-san!" she sadly whispered.

"Ohayou, Hisa-chaaan!" Their awkward moment was interrupted by Naruto's sudden entrance, almost whacking their backdoor down.

"Otou-san!" she beamed, moving away from Sai to jump at Naruto. "Now you can take me to school. Hokage-sama's not here yet."

"Typical Kakashi, huh?" And before Naruto could put Hisashi down to the floor, a loud poof of cloud appeared in front of them, revealing Kakashi in his Hokage robe through the silhouette.

"Yo! Gomen ne, Hisa-chan, there was –"

"You're late!" Naruto and Hisashi exclaimed.

"Now, aren't you two nostalgic," smiled Kakashi as he took the little girl in his arms and disappeared in yet another cloud.

"Ittekimasu, Otou-san, Naruto-tousan!"

"Damn that Kakashi, what a show-off," puckered Naruto.

"Uh, Naruto, you might need to stop her from calling you otou-san."

"Eh? Why? I'm her father, too, bastard!"

Sai shrugged. "Well, Ino said it's giving off the wrong idea."

"What wrong idea?"

"That we're gay partners," he answered bluntly.

"Gay what? Who the hell would think that just because Hisa-chan has two fathers, her fathers are gay?"

"I don't know, it really doesn't bother me, but Ino keeps asking if we are."

"Hey, bastard," pointed Naruto, "I'm not gay, and you're not, too. Or are you?"

"Maybe not. I don't want to kiss you."

"What the hell, Sai!"

"Ok, if it doesn't bother you that people –"

"Baka. Only Ino thinks like that."

"–would take us as gay couples, then it's fine if Hisa-chan has two fathers."

"Yeah. You only get to be the official dad because you look more like an Uchiha!" Naruto said, bitterly so. He was waiting for a retort, though it seemed like Sai wasn't up for it. The latter was just staring at the comb in his hand.

All talks of histories and fatherhood were something that almost always came up all of a sudden. And yet it never failed to make them cringe in pain every time.

To Naruto, Haruno Hisashi was a seven-year-old girl beaming with enthusiasm. Her youthful glow was reminiscent of her mother. To Naruto, she was an epitome of new beginnings from sorrow. A happy ending to a long wait.

Yet, despite that cheery smile he couldn't help but have just from watching Hisashi jump around and her pink, pink hair bouncing back with her, Naruto couldn't help but see tragedy in her glassy eyes.

Those midnight eyes contrasted her tamed hair in a bittersweet way. Those eyes were proof of Haruno Sakura's pain and sadness, a product of Uchiha Madara's molestations.

Still, Naruto couldn't help but wonder how this little child could give so much joy to him, to Sai, to Kakashi, his friends, Sakura's friends, despite all those history that dwelt in this little child's being?

Naruto walked towards that misplaced chair in the middle of the kitchen, to where Sai was sitting.

"Oi," he almost whispered as he patted the other male's shoulder. "You did a good job raising her."

Sai looked up, recognizing the sincerity in his friend's eyes. Through the years of human exposure via Naruto and Sakura and the rest of his newfound friends in Konoha, Sai was able to understand feelings and emotions.

He had learned to develop a few of his own, and felt pain and rejection as well as happiness and fulfillment.

And with that, he was no longer that clueless socially incapacitated individual – or at least most of the time.

"You helped me raise her, Naruto. You have been a father to as I am."

"Yeah," the jinchuuriki smiled. "And whatever happens, let's just be there for her. I know you're not as prepared as I am when she'd learn the truth."

"Yes. But what I am hoping for the most is for Sakura to let go of all that hate. When every thing's all laid out in the open, it would be her mother she'd need the most."

Naruto agreed to his words, but he could only sigh. "Hey, Sai, would you hate me if I tell you this?"

"Tell me what?" asked Sai, skeptic what the blonde had to say.

At first, Naruto hesitated. But what the hell. He'd been keeping it a secret for too long. If Sai would find out about it, in the wrong way, it might cause trust issues between them. After all, he had to know, too.

"You know Ino's suggestion to tell Hisa-chan that her real dad would be Sasuke once she gets the Sharingan?" Sai nodded, not sure if he understood what Naruto's trying to point out. "Well, you also know that Sasuke's already pronounced dead, but they never found his body, right?"

"Yes, of course I know that, Naruto. I was part of the search team."

"W-well, I don't believe he's dead –"

"I know that part, too," Sai interrupted, prompting him to stop stalling.

"– and I've been searching for him."

"What? Why? Is that the reason you've been _pretending_ to be away for missions for months? You're just looking for him?"

"I'm not pretending, I really do have missions, jackass!"`

"So, Kakashi knows about this, too."

"I, uh, yeah, he does."

"Did you find him then?"

"No, not yet."

_That's because he's dead_, Sai wanted to say. Instead, he replied, "Now, how's that going to help Hisashi?"

"Um, I was thinking… if I found Sasuke, and he get together with Sakura-chan, maybe there's a chance that Sakura-chan could accept Hisa-chan, then they could be one happy family."

Sai didn't like this idea at all. "And how sure are you that Sasuke would even accept Hisashi? Madara raped Sakura in front of him. She is as much a painful memory as to Sakura. Besides, what would Sasuke think of her? His great-great- grandmother he will have to father?"

"Hey, you know Sasuke had grown to love Sakura. He would accept her!"

"Wake up, Naruto. If Sasuke were alive, he would have looked for Sakura the moment his very important revenge was completed," Sai spat out; he was standing now, towering over Naruto. "That was the only thing Sakura had asked of him. And, we both know that for the seven years we've been trying, Sakura never grew a soft heart to her daughter. What makes you think she would magically do so just because there's Sasuke?"

"I don't know for sure, but I have my faith in those two!"

"Yes, apparently, you do have a lot of faith in Sasuke that you couldn't let him go. You're doing this for yourself, Naruto. You're not doing it for the kid, or for anyone."

Naruto couldn't help but agree. But he couldn't help it, and he could only blame his inability to accept Sasuke's death and Sakura's departure.

"Just, let's all move on, Naruto. You've already chased Sasuke long enough in the past. You can't waste more years doing it again. And let's face it. Sasuke alive wouldn't do Hisa-chan any good. Being vengeful as he was, he might even kill her!"

"You still believe that, don't you?"

"Better that, than hope he's alive."

"Psh. I'm out of here," he muttered, walking past Sai and out the door.

Deep down, Sai knew he was being selfish, too, himself. He didn't want Sasuke to be alive. Telling Hisashi he's not her real father's painful enough. Having her supposed father to be alive would make her want to know him more.

And, once again, Sai felt awfully inferior to Sasuke – always being in second place next to him.

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><p><strong>AN: **Thank you all for the renewed support. ^_^

~ Enjoy and review! :3


	3. Evasion

**Chapter 3: Evasion**

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><p>"Hey, Sakura!" It was a busy day for her, as usual, despite taking a day off work. She was buying groceries at the supermarket, trying to stack up her cupboard and preparing for a trip next week.<p>

That unpleasant meeting with Shikamaru was already two months old and no longer on her mind. Sure, she still saw him time after time during his visit to the village, but things had gone back to being civil.

She had gotten better with that. That thing where one would shove a thought off to the back of one's mind. And once she had perfectly gotten rid of it, she had practically forgotten about it. It's one hell of a defense mechanism, and she's nailing it.

Thus, she continued living with nothing bothering her but work and the present.

She turned to where the voice was calling her name, and saw Kankuro with Gaara by the vegetable section.

"Hey, you two!" she called out and pushed her cart to where they were standing. "Brotherly bonding?"

"No, smartass," Kankuro quipped. "Temari was a little busy so I asked Gaara to help me out."

Sakura laughed. "So Temari's busier than the Kazekage. Slacking off?"

"Even shinobi should learn when to take a break, Sakura. You should know that."

"Haha! Right! Take it from someone who sleeps atop a mountain of paperwork." Gaara responded with a smirk and a roll of his eyes, while Sakura stuck her tongue out.

"You know what," Kankuro butted in. "You two are the most uptight people I have ever met. Maybe hooking up just one time could do you some good." And then he continued surveying the racks for something he could add to his basket.

"Baka!" was Gaara's rebuttal, and Sakura hit the older shinobi on the head.

"Maybe I'll go shop with you, guys."

"Indulge," the Kage remarked, as he took her cart to aid.

The two were just tailing Kankura as he piled up vegetables and fruits and then a few milk cartons to his basket. Sakura helped herself with a few. And Gaara was only silently watching one item after another being added to the card.

"So, do you need any help packing your things?"

"I'm fine, Gaara. Thanks. Besides I only have so little to bring," she answered.

"You'd be away for months; won't you be taking most of your clothes?"

"Just a handful. It's not like I'd be moving for good." He nodded, with a hidden smile she couldn't see.

Next week, she'd be travelling to the Hidden Mist Village. The Mizukage had requested her assistance to expand the village's medical team.

If it'd only be a week of a month, Gaara wouldn't have been so reluctant. But this kind of mission required months , to even a year.

Ties between Suna and Kiri had been flourishing since the end of the Third War. There wasn't really any reason not to grant such a request – one, it'd strengthen Kirigakure's forces and its military ties with Suna; and two, his own village's medical team was already performing well on its own without the supervision of Sakura - except for his own personal ones.

However, her trip didn't need to be soon, yet Sakura insisted on going next week. And that posed quite a problem since next week would be the yearly Kage Summit to be held in Suna. He was hoping to discuss more about medical jutsu and let her tackle it with the other leaders.

_Oh._ Gaara chuckled darkly. Of course. Hatake Kakashi. Things had been a little strained between the Hokage and Sakura. Gaara knew that she still continued communicating with Naruto and Sai, in fact friends had been visiting her every now and then. But Kakashi, as well as her daughter, never came to check on her. Last time Kakashi was in Sunagakure was seven years ago, with an unconscious and bloodstained Sakura in his arms.

"Does Naruto know you'd be going away?"

"Not yet. Maybe Shikamaru would let them know, or Kakashi would once he get here next week," she answered, casually. And sometimes, it irked Gaara how she could act like everything was normal and that she seemed to be so insensitive of the friends she left behind. "I plan to write him once I'm settled in the Mist, anyway."

"Won't you postpone your trip for another week? You're needed at the Summit," he said, somehow distracted as he watched her pick up two packages of half-ripped cherry tomatoes. "You're going to eat all of that?"

"No, Gaara, I'm not," she bantered with sarcasm. "And I think it's best to start there as soon as possible. Also, I've prepped the head medic ninjas about the Summit, so don't worry."

In front of them, Kankuro turned his head and glared at him, warning Gaara to drop this conversation.

He did. For the seven years he had a close friendship with Sakura, he didn't feel as though he had been a really good friend. Nor was she to him. For seven years, never did Sakura ever approach him with her problems, her secrets. All they ever were, Gaara thought, were mere acquaintances enjoying each other's company.

Everything he knew about her came from Naruto or Temari or Shikamaru. But never from her.

And he didn't want that. She was a girl draped withcomplications, and all he had ever done was pretend all's well with her.

"Sakura."

"Mmm?"

"Let's go train tomorrow." He intended it to be a request; but being the stern Kage that he was, it came out as a memorandum from Kazekage-sama. More like a lame excuse for a date, to Kankuro's opinion.

Sakura tapped her chin with her fingers as if to think of an answer, then she smiled. "What the hell, a chance to kick a Kage's butt. Why not."

"Big deal," Gaara muttered. "You're kicked Kakashi's butt a lot before."

This time, Kankura, now beside him, nudged Gaara to keep quiet. Sakura saw this, but she only laughed.

"I won't have this conversation with you, Gaara," she continued laughing. "Not to you, too."

But yes, he did. He wanted her to raise his voice at him, for once. He wanted nothing more than an argument. With her.

For never had he felt she was being true to him, and to herself, whenever she was with him.

Then again, was it really his place to demand that from her?

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><p>The week went on as days usually would. On Thursday before her departure, Gaara held a farewell dinner at his house attended by his siblings and a few close friends, and her clique from the hospital.<p>

It was a simple one, with nabe and soba and yakiniku. Of course, sake and tea were present. Sakura brought sweets.

They had fun, lots of stories to tell. And when it's time to go, just a little before midnight, she had that bittersweet expression.

Gaara offered to walk her home. Her apartment was a little to the east from his. Though it was just a short walk, both within the village proper for convenience, he insisted.

"Thanks for the dinner, Gaara," she beamed. "I'm really going to miss you guys. It makes it harder to leave."

"Yeah."

"And I doubt it I could still sleep through all this."

"What time will you be leaving?"

"Hmmm, maybe around four early morning."

"Too early. By the time it gets dark, you'd be almost outside Fire Border to the Wind docks."

"Haha. Yeah, but I'm planning to take the long trip."

Confused, Gaara was about to ask what her plan was, but he was enlightened as soon as he saw her bit her lower lip and her face turned melancholic.

"So, you're travelling _around_ Fire Country." She nodded to confirm. "That'll take you a week to get to Kiri, then."

She nodded again. "It's fine. I'm not in a hurry anyway."

Gaara scoffed. "Then you don't have to go tomorrow." When Sakura didn't answer, he decided to have the talk they should have had years before. "Isn't that too much of a stretch?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Are you still playing that game with me, Sakura?" Gaara demanded as he stopped her from walking. She just scrunched up her forehead to question his actions.

"You're leaving a week early to avoid Kakashi, and you're circumnavigating the world just to avoid passing through Konoha? You're impossible."

"Now what does that got to do with anything?" It was her turn to demand; she was now facing him and challenging him to speak up.

"You tell me. Isn't it time to let go of your grievances? It's more than seven years since you're left Konoha. Shouldn't you stop being bitter by now?"

"You don't get to lecture me about letting go, when you had almost half your life living in hate. You were worse than I am." That left him speechless. It was the first time since he could remember that someone had reminded him of his past. His own evils. And she was right.

"Then fill me in. Let me help you move on," he whispered, trying to conceal the quivering of his voice that would betray his confidence. "Just as how I did ages past." Gaara couldn't help but notice the space between them. The distance was enough for another person to stand, enough to tell him she still wanted it unoccupied.

"You already did, Gaara. You made me forget. My time here had given me a chance for a clean slate."

He was staring at her, intently so. And in her eyes he could see that she was void of emotions. Her defenses was too string to even let her feel what she was truly feeling inside. He wanted her to cry, or to get mad, instead of a blank face trying to show feigned sadness.

"I've only helped you pretend it all didn't happen," he moved closer, caught her hand before she stepped back. "I like you. I like you, Haruno Sakura. And I like you a lot. I wish I could be someone you could share things with."

When he said it, he was still the stern Gaara that she knew. Even in hushed tones, his voice held aristocracy that could make a fleet of shinobi obey. And yet, his eyes speak not of his cold demeanor. Those bluish-green orbs had softened, despite the dark outlines that surround them; shouting tenderness and sincerity and, she dared, love.

His eyes alone had taken her aback. She bowed her head for it anguished her to look at something that could have taken her breath away.

Since her heart would and could not allow her to.

They both stayed like that. In silence. Gaara holding her still, while she refused to look at him or even reply. When the tension between them escalated, it was suffocating, Gaara decided to break it. They resume walking back to her apartment. When they arrived, she walked right in and sank to the floor as she closed the door.

She sat there for hours with her head on her palms.

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><p>A couple of hours before dawn, Sakura already finished packing. A large box was plated on her living room so Kankuro could easily ship it to Kirigakure for her. She'd only bring a small backpack with a few changes of clothes for her travel, sandwiches and precooked meals, her medic kit, her scrolls and weapons.<p>

Sakura was itching to go. In fact, after she got home last night, she wanted to leave already. But she spent the wee hours to morning staring at the floor.

Today, however, that episode with Gaara would – or should – be forgotten the moment she stepped out of Sunagakure's canyon fortresses.

She hoped that Gaara's confession wouldn't put a strain on their friendship. Especially to him, as she didn't want to acknowledge it, much less accept it.

For what it's worth, she would miss Suna. And she would miss everyone, particularly their snow-king Kazekage who could make a joke in the iciest expression that could make her laugh to tears.

But it's time to go, and as she locked her front door closed, she hoped that time could fly to the time when she'd be opening these doors again.

The streets were empty, except for a few closing their stalls for the night. The sky was moonless, but the village was still bright with the flickering lamps overhead. Sakura walked as slowly as she could; however, she was already near the gates in less than fifteen minutes.

The night guards let her pass and bid her a sound trip and good luck. She returned their friendliness before she stepped out to the colder and darker sands outside the grate walls of Suna Gaara himself had built after the recent war.

It wasn't a long walk before she would pass the narrow alley between two tall canyons that signaled her official exit out the Sand Village, and she had already felt lonely. Just like that time years and years ago when she had ran away from Konoha to exile herself, all drenched in sweat and blood right after her labor.

Her recollection was somehow disrupted when she saw a blurry outline of a person sitting on the sands at the end of the canyon. She tried to feel for a chakra signature, but it was expertly hidden. Her instincts told her it's a shinobi, and immediately prepared for a kunai from a hidden holster. As she appreoached the end of the alley, the figure grew more concrete and she found that it was a man. Sakura saw him stand to reveal himself.

Before she could even recognize the person, he spoke. "Stay."

It was Gaara, still wearing his clothes from last night. "What are you doing here? It's two-thirty."

"Yes, and didn't you say you'd leave at four?"

"Gaara…"

"Stay," he repeated. "I don't want you leaving with what happened last night." Sakura only shook her head. But he pursued. "If not, then what I told you last night… think about it. I want you. I like you. And I wanted so much to make you accept the past and move forward. With me…"

She could see, from the small illuminations from the distant village, that his face had changed. It was pained with sadness and longing. The way he was breathing, she knew he was frantic, and yet…

His words, however, were lost in translation as Sakura wavered because of a distant memory she had already learned to forget. Emotions suddenly burst free from a bottle hidden deep inside her, far away from her heart.

It was just like that night he left Leaf And she was waiting for him, hoping her heart was enough for him to stay. It never was. Neither did her love nor her promise was enough for him to stay alive.

And tonight, it hurt her again, for everything had made her remember, just when she was strong enough to forget.

Her down-casted eyes roamed to focus at Gaara in front of him. The Kazekage was speaking, she knew by the movements of his lips. But not a word could be heard.

"Stop!" she begged, whatever Gaara was saying only reached deaf ears. And it also pained Sakura how she was hurting him. "Gaara, please stop talking. I'm sorry, I'm sorry." And she kept apologizing as she walked towards him.

She reached for his hands and buried her cheeks in them. "I wish I could say something to make you happy. I'm sorry, Gaara. But I'm not ready. I don't think I'll ever be."

_Because it'll always be him._

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Again, thank you for all the reviews, and the support. I'm so excited about this fic. Next chap, we'll see more about what happened to Sasuke. Whether he's alive or not, you'd just have to stick around for that (although, I know you all know the answer to that!)

Enjoy, and review... :3


	4. Sasuke

**Chapter 4: Sasuke**

* * *

><p>Uchiha Sasuke glowered at the messy feat laid in the center of a large dent below him.<p>

Team Taka was able to track Danzo down after months of non-stop travelling. They found him at the borders of the Land of Rivers and Fire Country, near the ocean. When all were set, they ambushed him by the massive sea wall, in which Danzo had destroyed with his Reverse Four Symbols fuinjutsu – killing himself in the process.

The bastard had thought the seal could give him a heroic ending – with a giant black sphere trapping everything within it to his corpse.

_What a waste of chakra_, Sasuke simpered. For one, the four of the only needed to stay away from the sphere. And they did, thanks to Juugo for recognizing that ancient technique quickly. If Danzo was planning to kill him, then he could have just immobilized him before releasing that technique!

This lowlife had died for nothing. _And isn't that pathetic?_ He felt disgusted at how the Konoha Elder ended this battle – and his life – in vain. But also, that's a good thing, for Sasuke was almost out of chakra and his eyes were strained.

He continued to watch as Danzo's mutilated corpse bathe in flesh blood in that awesome dent on the seawall. Then, as she recalled the fight in his head, as is mind showed him memories of that unforgettable night, his body came alive again.

His hands were buzzing in blue chakra, and everything about him was static. His emotions were ablaze, somewhere between grief and relief and pride. In an instant, as if his body willed on its own, Sasuke released a high-energy chakra, transformed it to bolts of deadly lightning, and darted it towards the lifeless man in mangles and Sharingan eyes to deface it further.

He couldn't stop, as the ordeal had kept him in a maniacal high he couldn't comprehend. The frenzy all happened inside, for his face didn't paint any emotion, not even a frown. He looked empty – an empty, heartless killer. But on the inside, he was in chaos.

Only when his chakra reserves drained dry did he stop the lightning attacks, just as his eyes closed and everything around turned black.

* * *

><p>Hours before sunrise, Mitokado Homura was awakened in his quarters beside the renovating Hokage Tower. A former Root ANBU left him a scroll with yet another dreadful news.<p>

It was only five months ago that the knowledge of Danzo's death by the Uchiha survivor spread like an epidemic across the villages. Now, this?

Yesterday, Koharu was attacked by the same team that ambushed Danzo, and by the looks of her body, someone with Sharingan had done it.

Homura stared at the scroll for the longest time. He wasn't thinking of how he could defeat the boy, but instead, he was brainstorming for ways to keep himself alive. It was evident that this Uchiha Sasuke was powerful. Both of his colleagues resorted to their ultimate jutsu. He could do the same, of course, but he won't risk it.

After he'd gotten over his initial shock, he walked over to his table, procured a sealed scroll, and cut his arm to let it bleed. With his blood, he wrote characters that locked a deal with one of his conspirators. Once done, the scroll disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Days later, maybe a little over a week, he was relieved. A white snake slithered to his pillow as a sign of confirmation. That night, he fled Konoha for Oto.

* * *

><p>Kabuto didn't expect the elder's early arrival. Must be desperation, he thought darkly. He flashed a menacing smile to welcome his visitor, his hood shadowed half of his face, exaggerating the effect.<p>

Danzo could have finished the job for him, but the old geezer decided to die. Homura's help might expedite it.

"The deal is simple, Kabuto. I'll give you Uchiha Sasuke, you keep me alive." The elder's flight was also a fast evasion to Konoha's council who would dig in to the reasons for the elders' unexpected attacks. The Hokage already knew, and he might give orders for his trial. Surrendering would only allow himself to be harassed by the council as fair trial might not be granted to him, due to Hatake Kakashi's acquaintances with the Uchiha.

Kabuto, on the other hand, thought he didn't really need the help of Homura. He was just hoping to speed everything up.

His alliance with Madara, before Konoha killed the latter, and his demise were both highly beneficial. One, he had access to Madara's research and Itachi's eyes, plus a few Sharingan eyes he might think of developing in the future. And two, those Akatsuki who had learned of his Edo Tensei were all dead. His one alas was still his own little secret.

His capture of Uchiha Sasuke would be a fulfillment of Orochimaru-sama's lifelong plans. He couldn't help but wonder what Sasuke's Tsukuyomi would be after Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. And with the perfected cells of Orochimaru-sama's chakra and the Curse Seal of Heaven, his imagination ran wild with all the possibilities.

Unlike his dead master, he didn't really want to start a war. But like his master, he wanted to know the ultimate jutsu. And he would be researching all about it even if it took a hundred bodies just to keep him living.

* * *

><p>It was overkill.<p>

Sasuke and his team went over and about Fire Country – even venturing near Konoha – just to locate the last elder. And when they did, planned their attack and polished all else, something unexpected occurred.

Karin had felt that disturbing chakra, but they weren't prepared for Kabuto. During their stay with Orochimaru almost over a decade ago, the four of them were enough to fight Kabuto off.

However, with all the development that had occurred over time – considering that this was their first meeting since – they were on defense, and they were losing.

Earlier in the battle, when Homura was losing – as, despite Kabuto, he was trapped in Sasuke's great strategic skills – and had become a liability, he was eventually killed. Well, it was also Kabuto's intention to betray the elder, since he probably knew too much.

It was only Taka versus Kabuto now. And snakes were everywhere.

They were somewhere north of Fire, near borders of Otogakure. Locating the last elder was not easy, but at least it was convenient, with Karin's ability, Juugo's communication with animals, and his own Hawk summon. Another complication the encountered, though, was the fact that they were still international criminals at large. Stealth was difficult, but this was good practice.

It was in one of Fire country's forests that Homura, and apparently Kabuto, too – were hiding. Judging by the structure of the hideout, it was Kabuto's. Maybe even one of Orochimaru's from way back.

What pissed Sasuke more was the fact that it awfully felt like things were repeating itself. Kabuto had announced his intentions.

The acquisition of his Mangekyou Sharingan, or better yet, the control of his body. Uchiha bloodlines could be well utilized if it was contained in an Uchiha body.

"That's the reason why Hatake Kakashi's Sharingan was inferior to yours," Kabuto explained.

After a long rally of jutsu, and even more deflections of attacks, the team was exhausted. Kabut might also be, but his chakra levels were still higher than theirs.

It was time to finish it. And no one could make Uchiha Sasuke lose his stance but just this one person.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Kabuto jeered. In a flash, there stood Uchiha Itachi behind the smokes from the seals.

He was still how Sasuke saw him last. The same long hair tied loosely to the back, same cloak from the recently defeated Akatsuki group.

And when Sasuke saw his brother, he felt the same feeling as he would think of him: longing.

"Hello, Sasuke," greeted Itachi. But the younger one was speechless. His initial reaction was somewhat serene upon seeing Itachi again. But knowing how Edo Tensei worked, for he had read a lot about it during his stay with Orochimaru, he was in a rage for desecrating his brother's body.

That said, Sasuke leapt from his stupefied stance and charged his whole upper body with electricity. He brandished his sword and swung his right hand at Kabuto, who was standing behind his brother. But before any contact, Itachi pushed him down to the ground.

"Good job, Itachi-san. Now, tame your brother." Kabuto watched Sasuke's struggle and found it amusing that Sasuke was once again surprised, no, appalled!, at the discovery of Kabuto's mischief.

"Why does this corpse have Itachi's eyes?" he demanded, trying to push Itachi's zombie away.

"Uchiha Itachi isn't Uchiha Itachi without his Sharingan, is he?" What confused Sasuke was how Kabuto was able to acquire those eyes.

He hadn't thought of transplanting his own, even when he was nearly blind. He didn't even remember to take, or look for it, after Madara's death. And now this? Some bastard had stolen Itachi's eyes and was even using it!

He had vowed not to attain Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan by taking Itachi's eyes, for he had wanted to take his own path to redeem the Uchiha's name. And of course, transplanting it would mean he had succumbed to the dark history of his clan: brothers murdering brothers for power.

Sasuke still, despite his own thirst for more strength, didn't approve of that means.

Itachi pinned him down even further, and turned his head back to Kabuto. "How would you like to take him, dead or alive?"

"Alive, of course. But leave his eyes and his hands unscathed."

Itachi looked around, then returned his attention back to the one below him as he lowered his head to his ear. Sasuke had noticed Itachi's eyes madly spnning.

"Hide," he whispered.

He didn't understand what that meant and felt even more lost when an explosion erupted, coming from above him. Immediately, with his own doujutsu, he knew that Itachi had created a genjutsu.

"SASUKEEEE!"

"What the fuck, Itachi! I told you to keep him alive!" cried Kabuto, as he ran towards the commotion. "Your eyes, god damn it!"

Hurriedly, he took out his kunai and stabbed Itachi's head off the already burning body.

In Sasuke's view, however, there was a body burning _beside_ him. It was Itachi's container, then some parts were _shedding off_. His skin seemed as if it had turned to flakes that had fallen off to bits. Although the body was decapitated, Sasuke heard it speak.

"Hide for now, Sasuke. Take your team with you. Kabuto is dangerous. Then, when you're ready, defeat him," Itachi's voice instructed. "I hope someday you can find your peace; I'm sorry if I took it from you. Though, I know you would, and that's probably why I feel at peace now. Goodbye, otouto."

Sasuke just laid there, listening to that voice he didn't know where it was coming from. But he could feel his brother. He was there. He continued playing his words in his head until his eyes poured tears of grief.

And he stayed like that, as he silently cried. He didn't know why Itachi didn't want him to kill Kabuto now, now that he was under a powerful genjutsu. Either way, his brother saved him yet again.

In that truth, he had hoped. This time, every elder involved in the Uchiha Massacre was dead. Yet his relief wasn't due to this feat. Pain was still there, always would be, when he thought of the tragic end of his clan. But it was more of sadness and longing to have his family all together once more. This time, having seen Itachi for one final time, it was only true forgiveness he could offer. Itachi's final whispers were simple, yet it affected him and gave him peace.

It was a beginning of a new chapter. Somehow, he found closure.

He would start to move on. Maybe alone for now, or with his team if they wish it. But he would manage. For the person he would have wanted to have a new life with had finally moved on and had a family of her own.

He would need to do so, too.

Thus, he shook the memories of that pink-haired little girl, held by that painter ninja he saw in a town outside Konoha, off his mind and rose to dust himself off.

Kabuto had already gone, but his teammates were still there. Karin was wailing at the 'explosion' in front of them, Suigetsu was convincing Karin to leave, while Juugo had his mouth agape at the scene.

Sasuke walked towards them and dispelled the genjutsu. They were all confused at first, even looking back to the supposed explosion and were surprised there was only but a corpse burning in his place.

"You were under genjutsu," declared Sasuke. And, after all explanations and frivolities, mostly from Karin, were done, Sasuke walked over to the fire. The body used for Itachi's resurrection was no longer there, as it had immediately turned to dust; only the clothes were left to burn. Sasuke cut his arm deep enough to make it bleed. He let his blood flow down to where the body was burning.

"Uchiha Sasuke died here," he announced, and there was no going back. "Let's go."

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Thank you again for the patronage. Now, there you have it! :) With that, I end this chapter saying, "Happy Birthmonth, Sasuke-kun!"

Enjoy! :3


	5. Hisashi

**Chapter 5: Hisashi**

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><p>"Bunshin no jutsu!" And smoke engulfed Haruno Hisashi. In seconds, her clone was standing beside her, waving to the class.<p>

"Oooh," her classmates swooned, and clapped at her amazing performance.

"Very good, Hisa-chan!" their teacher, Hyuuga Hinata, congratulated her. "You can stand with Kana-chan over there." So, Hisashi hopped happily towards her best friend.

"That was perfect, Hi-chan!" Inuzuka Kana beamed.

"You did great, too, Kana-chan!" It was an ordinary day at the Academy, and Hisashi's class had their quarterly examinations. Her first quarter was a breeze; she had already learned clone techniques, while her classmates were still struggling to feel for their inner chakra.

There was no doubt that she was the top student of this batch, far ahead for her age. Second in line was Inuzuka Kiba's niece, Kana; but still the latter's performance was what was expected of her age group.

Hisashi was exceptional.

Hinata continued grading her pupils' practicum, and in her mind she was ready to submit Hisashi's recommendation to be accelerated by two grades. It was just proper, with the child's advanced skills, that she might be the next student to have finished Academy in a year's time.

The last one being Uchiha Itachi.

But at the back of her mind, she was wary of Hisashi's progress. Her friend, Sakura, did not approve of Hisashi's choice to become a kunoichi; and it's only a matter of time before the little girl would unlock her bloodline limits and know the whole truth.

Hinata, however, was agreeable to the plan that Hisashi would be led to believe that her father was the infamous Uchiha Sasuke, instead. It would be better off that way than to tell the child her father was Madara.

At the end of the day, Haruno Hisashi was destined to be a fierce kunoichi, someone this village would be proud to have. And maybe, hopefully, someone who could bring the pride and honor to the defaced name of the Uchiha.

With no more hesitation, and a silent plea of forgiveness to her friend, Hyuuga Hinata endorsed the promotion of Haruno Hisashi to the academy's board and to the Hokage.

* * *

><p>One week after moving, Haruno Sakura was still having a hard time settling in. Her apartment was not a problem, as that had been taken cared of soon after she arrived. The Mizukage had seen it over before heading out for the Summit.<p>

The problem was with the weather. She had not seen a sunny day since she arrived. Mornings were forever gloomy; afternoons, very rainy. Nights were cold, and always roaring with thunders.

It's the time of the year, the people in the village said. It's the rainy season; and when summer came, it was too hot and humid. There were only two seasons. No spring, no fall, no winter. Just simple rain and sun. And sometimes, this rain made her so lethargic; she'd be too lazy to even wake up. Imagine curling up in your bed, so warm and dry under the covers; or snuggling with a pillow as you wrapped yourself with a blanket while you sat on the sofa drinking hot chocolates, or slurping ramen.

Good thing, however, her apartment was just a block away from the hospital, and she didn't have to drag herself too long on the streets.

Surprisingly, too, she had a lot of free time in this town. Back in Suna and Konoha, she tired herself with work and a lot of training. Here, she didn't have to work at the hospital. All she had to do was eight hours of training at the conference rooms teaching aspiring medic nin the basics and the staff doctors and nurses new and efficient arts of the medical ninjutsu. Someday, however, she wished that she could help around at the hospital. She figured that she'd grow tired of this loose schedule.

Sometimes, training had to be halted. Like two days ago, she was asked to attend a council meeting for they were trying to revise the jounin and ANBU team assignments, trying to require at least one medic on the team. They rushed to proposal outline before the Mizukage would return from the Summit.

Sakura would then have the evenings for studying, or going around town and acquainting herself with the place. Most of the time, she'd just prefer to lock herself up to study.

On the weekend, she decided to sleep in. It had been a long time since she had a chance to do that. The coming days may not be as relaxed as it was now, since she deemed the hospital was just taking it light for her.

Well, that was supposed to be the plan, anyway. But even before nine o'clock stroke, there was this gentle knock at the door. She ignored it and assumed that it would cease eventually. Sakura was later sitting up when the knocking had moved to her bedroom door instead!

She was about to reach for the kunai under her pillow when the person on the other side of the door openly made his chakra signature known.

Sakura couldn't help but turn that scowl into a wide grin. She was, however, feigning annoyance when she opened the door.

"And good morning to you, too, Kazekage-sama."

"Who would have thought that I could get the chance to see the world's top medic to still be sleeping when the sun's already so high up," he greeted.

"Haha! Today's your lucky day to embarrass the world's top medic," she beamed. And in that moment, they just stood there with a sincere smile for one another. They stood there silently, with an understanding that they valued their friendship more. And then she moved forward to hug him.

"I'm just glad to see you well and rested."

"I'm glad to see you, too."

"Brought you lunch, but I guess you still haven't eaten breakfast," Gaara said, as he moved away and walked back to her kitchen.

She laughed and followed him out. To say that she was relieved was an understatement. Gaara showing up just a week after their awkward parting, with no hints of bitterness whatsoever, was enough for Sakura to cry and cherish the renewal of their friendship. She was so, so glad, that they could still continue to stay like they used to be despite that moment in Suna.

However, they both know that they're back to pretenses. They'd just have to live with that for a while – again.

"Uh, you know what? I should better make myself a lot more presentable before dining with the Kazekage."

"Whatever, Sakura," he rolled his eyes. "Like you ever do that before."

"Baka!" It had been previously established that Sakura had a tight bond with the Suna siblings. Over her years of stay in Sand, she had thought of them as her own family. And that shouldn't be surprising, considering they were the only people she knew in the village.

When she returned from her morning routine, Gaara had already set everything up, ready for them to dig in.

"So, what brings you here?" she started, as she filled her plate with rice and meat.

"I have matters to discuss with the Mizukage, so I joined her convoy back here in Mist."

"Oh, I see. And how did the summit go?"

"Okay. But it's still a deadlock on what the Alliance has to do with Iwa."

"Hmmm… isn't it about time they get back on the Alliance? I mean, the former Tsuchikage is already in prison, and their new leader had sworn its loyalty."

"Exactly." It seemed that the Samurai country, Kumo and Kiri were still against the reinstatement of Iwagakure into the Alliance after the latter's betrayal during the last Shinobi World War seven years ago.

Gaara continued filling her in with details, telling her about Suna's new endeavor with Kiri, and Konoha's plans of re-evaluating its military force.

"Kakashi had asked about you, and I said you're here."

"Oh. How are they?"

"He said they're fine." And Gaara didn't bother elaborating for being cautious of what the next conversation would be. He decided that he should skip such topics first; knowing Sakura had more in store from his visit.

"Will you be busy working today?" she asked, changing the topic.

"I guess. I'd be meeting with the council after all. But I'd like to invite you to dinner. There's a small gathering at the Mizukage's place. I'm sure you'd get an invitation, but I'd like to invite you anyway."

She laughed, "Sounds fun. Sure, I'll go with you. It's not like I have anything to do today."

"And, Sakura?" he continued, his face turning straight and his voice, stern. "I should also mention that Kakashi's here."

He didn't miss the sudden change in her aura, shadowing her eyes, her whole face.

"Oh," was all she could utter. She couldn't escape the dinner now, could she? Nor would she miss Kakashi in town. Unless she deliberately come up with another excuse to avoid him.

Still, Gaara hoped that whatever happened between Sakura and Kakashi in the past could be resolved in this rare encounter.

* * *

><p><em>Konohagakure. <em>_Fall, Seven years ago._

Her eyes were both shut in pain as tears and sweat flooded her face. He bit her lips to stifle a sob as the nurses around her _begged_ her to push.

Sai was holding her hand and soothing her, Naruto was on her back embracing her, as her body shook in pain. But none of it was helping.

"Just take it out already! God damn it!" She screamed. "Take, take it out… take it out…"

"Shhhh… Sakura, it'll be over soon. I promise," whispered Naruto.

"It'd better be, because she had been waiting for this day to come. Her hospital room was prepared a week before, the staff had attended to her with all their might, and they made sure she would have a fast – and safe – labor.

True enough, she had only been laboring for eight hours. But she felt so tired. If it were up to her, she'd be sleeping in morphine by now.

Sakura didn't sign up for this. She cursed every energy, every opportunity. Every little thing she had lost because of this innocent child. Sakura had heard every moral verse of all gods, but nothing could ever make her forget what Madara had done.

Right before he died, he cursed her. She would bore the hate that would continue on with the Uchiha name. Madara planned this. That bastard made sure she conceived his child. And now, she bore the hate that she would soon pass on to this baby.

"It's a girl, Sakura-san." The nurse held the newborn towards Sai. Sakura could hear it crying, but she refused to open her eyes and look, for if she did, she wouldn't be able to mask the anger and hate towards her daughter. Instead, she turned her head away.

"She will be Hisashi," Sai whispered. "For the long wait to forgiveness, to happiness, and to peace."

"Go," Sakura ordered. "Get out of the room, all of you. Please!"

They did, including Sai and Naruto. And one she was alone in the room, she willed herself not to cry. There's no sense in doing so anymore. The child had been borne. The only way to get rid of it was to kill it. But it's too late for that now. No matter, she still couldn't bring her hand to kill the innocent. Yes, she knew that much. Her daughter was innocent.

Then again, there was no way she'd be raising her. No way in hell would she recognize that child. For it triggered a lot of painful memories she was trying so hard to forget.

She couldn't look at it without remembering Madara's filthy paws violating her. She should've aborted it when it was barely even human. But Sai and Naruto begged her not to.

Now, they'd have to raise it, wouldn't they? After all, it was them who wanted the child to live. And Konoha no longer was the place for her to stay.

Slowly, she brought herself out of bed. She only had a robe ready to cover her bloody self, and that little bag Sai had prepared for her change of clothes.

She had to get away fast. The bedside table had medicines she needed to sustain herself. It'd be enough until she was strong enough.

There was no destination in mind. Sasuke's whereabouts were unknown. Maybe she'd try to find him when she'd regain her strength. Or maybe not.

Let it be. Let her feet drag her elsewhere, so she can start herself anew. With that in mind, she opened her window and jumped right out. It was a good thing her room was on the first floor. But she barely even had a step away when she noticed movement to her right.

"Going somewhere, Sakura?"

It was Kakashi, leaning on the wall beside her window with a book in hand.

"Kakashi-sensei! What are you doing here?"

"I watched you labor. I had to know you're okay."

"I am. So if you'll excuse me." She was about to walk but he caught her arm.

"You understand that once you crossed the gates, you will be pronounced a missing-nin?"

"Yes, I do. And I don't care," she declared, retrieving her arm back.

"No, Sakura. Don't do this. It isn't fair."

"Fair for who, sensei?" This time, she turned around to face him. "For that kid?" And how about me? Is it fair that each time I look at her, I get to go back in time in that mountain?"

He didn't answer. "Let me go, Kakashi. This will be the best for me and for that child."

Still, he didn't answer. He searched deep within her eyes, and he saw something he was afraid of. She was vengeful, angry and dead serious. Nowhere was there any hint of gentleness, or even sorrow.

It broke his heart just watching this woman fall apart and into the darkness, right in front of his eyes. He didn't fight back, but instead, he pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her. She was stiff, but he just stroked her hair in an attempt to bring forth that softness inside her.

"There comes a time in a person's life," Kakashi whispered, "that things go wrong and break one's spirit. Yours ad been shattered so tragically. Pick it all up and find yourself again."

In moments, she was sobbing. At first, she tried to keep it in. But as Kakashi held her ever, ever so tightly, she was crying uncontrollably.

"S-sensei… Kakashi-sensei… Take me away. I beg you. Take me away from here…."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Sorry for the late update! But here it is. Semester's about to be finished. Hopefully, I could get to update more often. Enjoy the new chapter. It get boring when Sasuke's not in the picture, ne? *winks*

I'll make a deadline. Two weeks! :)

And I have a new fic (eeek! shameless plugging). Check out _Between the Shadows and the Soul_. A new SasuSaku series.

Enjoy~ :3

Oh! and Hisashi means, in a few tweak of Kanji, long wait.


	6. Many Meetings

**Chapter 6: Many Meetings**

* * *

><p><em>Sunagakure<em>

_Four years ago_

Gaara stared with disbelief at a piece of scroll that was delivered in haste so early this morning. He himself couldn't accept the fact that what killed Uchiha Sasuke was a great combustion inside the lair of the meek assistant of the Master he, Uchiha Sasuke, had killed with no mercy.

After months to almost a year of searching, Konoha found the remains of the last Uchiha all burnt up to dust.

The Kazekage slammed the scroll on his desk and rubbed his temple with both hands in an attempt to accept the grave news.

There was no redemption for an avenger after all. Sasuke had died as soon as his revenge was played out. True enough, he lived only for the sole purpose of avenging his clan. But had he redeemed the name of the Uchiha? History could only be the judge for that.

"Good morning, Kazekage-sama!" Gaara cringed at the lively, sweet voice that filled his office; he cringed even more knowing to whom that voice belonged to. Instinctively, he snatched the evil scroll and rolled it away.

"What are you doing here, Haruno?"

"Ooh, someone's grumpy today," the other chimed. "I brought you breakfast, as usual, Kazekage-sama."

"I told you, you don't have to do that. And stop calling me Kazekage-sama."

"But, _Kazekage-sama_, if I don't bring you breakfast, you won't treat me to dinner," she joked, yet he could only smirk. His indifference, however, led her to push further. "Is there something wrong, Gaara?"

The medic nin had been with them for three years, and through those years, she had been a part of the family. During her first year, when Hatake Kakashi had delivered a weak and bloodstained Sakura, fresh from labor, on their front steps, the Sand Siblings took her in with no questions asked.

Official transfers were immediately done by the two Kage, and Sakura recovered through non-stop working. Gaara mused that this was her own defense mechanism.

This time, he could only guess what her reaction would be once she learned of Sasuke's death. Whenever news of Sasuke's victory over the Konoha elders reached them, she would only have that bittersweet smile on her face as she whispered, "Only a matter of time…"

Gaara knew she continued waiting for him. Although he could never understand her devotion for the Uchiha, he thought of it as something good. Sasuke's salvation. That maybe, after everything he had done and everything he had been through, still he must have done something good to deserve her.

"Gaara?" he blinked as he got out from his small recollection. "Is there something wrong?" she repeated.

"Sorry. I'm just a bit preoccupied. Thanks for the –"

"Oi, Gaara, is it true?" As if things weren't worse enough, Temari and Kankuro had to burst into the office the very instant that Sakura was still there – and at the very instant that Gaara himself was coward enough to tell Sakura the truth.

"Is what true?"

"Oh, Sakura," gasped Temari, "you're here."

"Hey, Temari, what's up? Is there something wrong?" She asked for the nth time. No one made a move to open their mouths, but their eyes were pinpointing who should spill the news.

Exasperated, Sakura threw her hands up to concede. "Okay, I get it. You can just say it's some classified Suna business, you know."

"Sakura," Gaara called just as she was about to walk out the door. He held the scroll out towards her. She reached for it, and slowly, slowly opened the scroll, as if she knew that it brought news she didn't want to hear.

He could see her eyes skim through the letter, up and down, over and over again. He could only guess what she must've felt at that very instant as her stoic face revealed none. She was so good at that. Through time, she had learned to hide her emotions. To the people who had just met Haruno Sakura, they knew her to be a sweet woman, yet cold enough to block out the gravest news.

"They didn't…" she finally uttered, her voice being the only sound against the tensed atmosphere. She rolled the scroll up and handed it back to him.

"Kazekage-sama, I ask for three days off duty," Sakura promptly requested. "I'll be going to Konoha."

"By all means, Sakura. I'll give you a week."

* * *

><p><em>Kirigakure<em>

_Present_

After Gaara left for the meeting with the council, Sakura washed the dishes they used for breakfast and did a little cleaning before she contemplated on her plan of action. She had given her word that she'd be at the banquet tonight. Maybe going wouldn't hurt so much, anymore. Ignoring Kakashi wouldn't be so difficult probably; if he wouldn't be pursuing her all night, it wouldn't. Although, knowing her old sensei, she bet he'd be doing just that.

It had been years, four years exactly, since she had seen him. And their parting was memorable in a bad light.

A part of her wooed her to end this drama with Kakashi. After all, he had only got caught up in her own grief. And during that time, it was both of them who were broken with Sasuke's death. Naruto didn't harbor any anger at the Hokage's decision to finally accept the evidence found at Kabuto's hideout as the remains of Sasuke, did he?

"_Do you believe that, Kakashi? Sasuke being dead?"_

"_Yes, I do. If not, then there's no more point of searching for a man who doesn't want to be found, is there? You, of all people, should understand that. You've been hiding from your daughter so much so that you'd like her to think her mother's dead."_

With a deep breath, as though to exhale all those bad memories away, Sakura willed herself to get out of the house and get some fresh air.

* * *

><p>The town proper of Kirigakure had long since reinvented itself from the age that the village's shinobi had barbarically killed each other; long after the age of the Mist's seven swordsmen were feared.<p>

Now, we see a thriving village in peace and in fog. Commerce was a lot democratic now, unlike then when it was once monopolized by feudal lords and corrupt warriors. Traders came and went, supplies had been more consistent, and villagers were more affluent now that they had means to sustain their needs.

All in all, it was far from the village Momochi Zabuza had recounted to the young Team Seven once upon a time.

The peace and order were something that appealed to Uchiha Sasuke, in a sense that roaming the busy streets with face almost all covered up was something not to be easily suspected by guards. Although the hidden village was pretty much active in the previous war and had advocated for an all-out fight against the Akatsuki even afterwards, the news of his death, however made them complacent.

Never did they surmise that Uchiha Sasuke and the rest of Team Taka walked through their town for almost a year now in hooded glory.

"I'm done. Let's go?" a voice behind him whispered, while he surveyed a few shuriken in one of the stalls.

"You have everything we need?" he asked, turning around.

"Yes, it'll last us a week," replied Karin, as she held one of the baskets for him to carry.

After fixing his cloak to hide a significant amount of his face, he led Karin into the throng of people doing their weekend errand in the busy marketplace of Kirigakure.

Ironically, this village had been too lax it could be the end of it, given that this very village had once been tricked and ruled by Uchiha Madara. Sometimes, peace could make people forget easily. But no one's complaining, right? Certainly not him. If this village's weak military system and lack of awareness allowed him to continue living in secrecy – and in peace – he'd thank Kami-sama for this _blessing_.

So until he's ready to take on Kabuto, he'd stay put.

Team Taka had been nomads since their fight with Kabuto. They've travelled all throughout the five major countries and some few others. To lower the risk of detection, they travelled in pairs, going to a similar destination through different routes. It was only now in Kiri did they get to stay longer.

Suigetsu, having been born and live in this village all his life, knew this one place that could shelter them. High up in the karst mountain ranges of Kiri, where very few to none inhabited the area, was a perfect hideout. Rogues, however, were known to pass through these barren hills; but Team Taka could handle that. Evert now and then, Mist shinobi patrol the mountains, but Sasuke had learned Kakashi's fuinjutsu back when his old sensei housed them in the forests of Konoha. Thus, genjutsu pretty much took care of that.

It was very much convenient for them. Travelling down to the village only took an hour of hiking, though it was only once a week that they need to go down.

Sasuke stopped short when he notices Karin froze beside him; simultaneously, the latter suddenly dropped her basket to the ground, their supplies tumbling about.

"Oi!" But Karin was just staring ahead, mouth agape. He followed the direction to where her eyes were glued to, but found nothing that could, or should, incite such a reaction from her.

"What is it?" he insisted, grabbing hold of her shoulder to get her attention.

She did get out of her reveries. "Oh, Sasuke-kun. I'm sorry; I was just feeling a bit fuzzy today." Karin clumsily knelt to pick up the produce they bought that scattered on the ground, and in an attempt to hide the still dumbfounded expression on her face.

Sasuke, with her eyes as sharp as a hawk, didn't miss that, however. Even her panicky gestures revealed that something was off.

"Karin," he warned.

"Let it go, Sasuke. I'm tired, I wanna go home." Her sudden cold demeanor made him bit his tongue, preventing him to inquire further.

"Hn." He chose to do she said, however. He knew that should she have sensed anything that could endanger them, she would always alert him. Still, Sasuke would find out whatever it was that Karin was hiding. Maybe later this evening, he'd do a little sneaking.

In the meantime, he'd silently follow Karin back to the mountains.

* * *

><p>It took Sakura a dozen changes of outfit until finally she yielded to the very first set she had decided upon. Gaara had tipped her that tonight's gathering would be quite formal since the Mizukage had extended the invitation to the daimyo. It's not every day this village welcomed two Kage in ordinary days, the Mizukage had said.<p>

And so, during her walk today, she happened to pass through an elegant kimono shop. Buying was fine with her, since her kimono was left at Suna.

She had chosen the one with the simplest design; but still, she felt that she was overdoing it. In the end, she didn't have a choice but to wear it anyway. Sakura inspected herself in the mirror and hated how her pink bright hair blended so well to the contrasting midnight blue cotton, embroidered with pale orchids. Her obi was red, accentuating the perfect contrast.

There was no chance of switching to plain Haruno Sakura clothes, though, for there was finally a knock on her door. That must be Gaara, picking her up, she thought. With one last look at herself on the mirror, she reluctantly picked her pouch to leave.

Sakura was greeted with the sight of Gaara in his _usual_ Kage robe plus an umbrella on his left hand.

"You look nice," he complimented. "It's all right for you to be walking around in the rain like that, though?"

In response, she huffed an irritated sigh. "You know what, wait for me inside and I'll just get a quick –"

"I said you look nice, Haruno. You're lovely. And, we're late," Gaara reasoned out as he caught Sakura from going back to her room. Gladly, she gave in.

"Fine. Let's go, Your Highness." And before she took a step out of her doorsteps, she was halted by a sudden hand stretched in front of her, revealing a small golden kanzashi adorned with trailing wisteria vines so petite it was whimsical.

"Your outfit won't be complete without a head dress."

"Gaara." The backdrop of the evening seemed to intensify its darkness as Sakura's porch light glowed a bit brighter only for the two off them. The man standing before her reached out, with hesitation manifested through his slow gestures, and little by little pinning down the kanzaki stick on to the side of her head, locking it to the neatly arranged bun. The curtain of wisteria blossoms fell to her ears, along with a few unruly short strands.

Her breath was caught painfully at her throat as he saw him gazing down at her as though his eyes had already given her his heart, so soft and heartbreakingly solemn that Sakura could barely recognize him.

"Gaara…" The unsettled issues awaiting her tonight were all forgotten due to his subtle display of affection. In that very moment, all she could see was Gaara's serenity, warmth and eyes that could melt her own being, eyes that whisper she would forever be cared for.

The trance, however, was broken when she was about to speak. "Come on, let's get going," said him. And she knew, he wasn't ready to hear whatever it was she was about to say. Not again. It only pained her to see that he was willing to continue feeling for her even after she had declined. To see someone love her from a distance was something that tugged her heartstrings, wooing her to try again and yet her own heart kept telling her she never could.

* * *

><p>Karin was sitting at the corner of their living room in a tiny shack that Team Taka had claimed residence for a year. She was sitting very still, yet her mind was in a rampant. The moment Sasuke announced he was going out just before dinner, she already knew what he had in mind.<p>

And the thought of Sasuke discovering what she had learned that afternoon in the marketplace made Karin restless.

Out of nowhere, she had felt a very familiar chakra as they were both walking back to the mountains. She knew to whom that chakra belonged to, knew it so well enough that the fact that Haruno Sakura was within a radius of several hundred meters from where they were standing allowed Karin to panic.

Simultaneously, she had checked for other signatures that might have been nearby. True enough, there was Hatake Kakashi's signature, but quite distant. Her better judgment had told her that she should have told Konohagakure's medic nin and the Hokage himself was in town. But it had been years since they had heard of them. And this kind of news could, no doubt, make Sasuke _go back_.

The last news they have had about anyone from Sasuke's team was when they saw that black-haired shinobi, his name was Sai if she remembered it correctly, holding a pink-haired kid while the team was scouting near Konoha looking for information about one of the elders years and years back.

Everyone knew who that kid's mother was, everyone would know just by looking at her hair. After that incident, no one had mentioned anything about Konoha ever, except when it was information about the elders.

This time, she didn't dare tell Sasuke about this. Because Sasuke would definitely go back to _her_ just when Karin had been living on the hope of him warming up to her.

But little did Karin know that at that very moment, Sharingan eyes were activated to watch so intently at the _situation_ just a few meters away. Sasuke was surprised to see the Kazekage in the town proper of Kirigakure. This might be what Karin had sensed, he had thought. Gaara must be in a business meeting with the Mizukage. But why Karin had not disclosed this information, he could only guess.

And so, Sasuke quietly followed Gaara, and was even more surprised to see the person who attended to the Kazekage's knocking.

It was Sakura, in a dazzling kimono. But what confused him more was the private moment unfolding in front of his Sharingan eyes. He couldn't see what Gaara was saying for he had his back to the Uchiha. But he could clearly see her face, her glowing eyes, and that kanzashi that perfectly sat on her hair.

He watched as Sakura tucked her hand to the other's elbow, and they shared an umbrella as they walked away from her apartment. Sasuke waited, and later followed.


	7. An Ode to Redemption

**Chapter 7: An Ode to Redemption**

* * *

><p>The Fifth Mizukage, Terumi Mei, indeed was a woman of class. Every detail in the receiving room was subjected to perfection; from the meat to the arrangements of the furniture that brought zen into the room. She had dawned in a white kimono with silver linings and embroidered lilies. Her hair was in a neat crimson bun with the layers freely curtaining her back. Everything about her was toned down in a forced attempt, for her authority and grace both exuded beauty that lit up with the lamps.<p>

It was an intimate party of less than twenty-five people; a good group to discuss the goodwill of villages and, indeed, strengthen ties. It was also too intimate to get to know someone, and avoid one.

The moment Gaara and Sakura stepped into the room, it was bliss in dim-lit elegance – it felt like a date. The evening was warmed by the loveliness of the place; and visitors were at their best, signifying their elite stature. He glanced to his right and saw Sakura's natural beauty magnified by the scones and candles, but he never failed to miss the quiver of her lips nor the hesitation in her eyes. Gaara responded by reaching for her fingers softly pinching his sleeves as her hand was locked in his elbows.

They were cold, but he squeezed them gently in an effort to keep them warm, and to remind her he'd just be beside her.

"Ah, you must be Haruno-san," greeted the Mizukage as she pranced across the floor to meet them. "I'm glad to have finally met you. I've heard so much about you."

"It's good to meet you, too, Mizukage-sama," Sakura bowed.

"Come, I'll show you around. Do you find Kiri accommodating, so far?" the Mizukage started, as she pulled Sakura away.

He hadn't had the chance to hear her reply to the Kage as Kakashi simultaneously tapped his shoulders.

"Yo!"

"Kakashi."

"I see you're being accommodating to her, so far," he said casually, but mischief was slightly apparent from his voice.

"Aa. It's what a friend can do in times like this."

The Hokage chuckled. "I like you, Gaara. It's nice to see her in such a healthy state. Thank you."

"She's a strong woman, after all. Most of it was of her own doing. She's just too strong she refused to be gentle." This time, the lamps faintly drew penumbras across the Kazekage's face, highlighting saddened shadows.

"She won't show you her gentle side, eh?"

"Haha, not like that, Kakashi."

"Hn. Time does that to a kid."

At some point, Gaara wanted to see that childish fascination back in Sakura's eyes. To have her laugh at simplest things and cry in her deepest worries. To have him be that person who could watch each twinkle and each pouts, and be the man to wipe her tears as she slept. But now, all Gaara had ever been was an audience to a façade she had also forced herself to believe.

Haruno Sakura, with hate and despair, had lost her humanity through a vigorous training towards becoming a perfect kunoichi.

"Just, go talk to her," commanded Gaara to the older Kage as he walked away to talk to the others.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

><p>"Really, it remains a mystery for me that Hatake Kakashi, sixth Hokage of the prestigious Hidden Leaf Village, remains to be a bachelor and had never had a girlfriend–"<p>

"Steady girlfriend."

"–steady girlfriend ever."

"And I also wonder why the lovely fifth Mizukage is still single."

"Mmmm… I have a strong personality that no man could handle, is what they always say."

"And do you believe that, Terumi-san?"

She shrugged. "Do you think they're right, Hatake-san?" In response, the Hokage just chuckled.

Kakashi would have cornered Sakura and talked to her ages ago, but the Mizukage had cornered him instead. He only had one chance to talk to her, and it was just a casual bowing of the head when the Mizukage had introduced Sakura to Kakashi. It seemed that she wasn't aware of their relationship, but Mei knew Sakura was once from Konoha.

"It was a terrible mistake to let go of such a renowned medic-nin who might have already surpassed the late Tsunade-sama," Terumi Mei had lamented earlier as she introduced them both.

"Indeed," was his only answer, as he turned his attention to the woman beside the Kiri leader. Sakura was smiling casually, as though they were new acquaintances. "She was the Godaime's favorite. She had surpassed her at such a young age."

Sakura respectfully bowed, as what ethics had taught her. "You're very kind, Hatake-sama. Surely, I have a lot to learn."

But he could only chuckle and excused himself instead. Haruno Sakura had definitely turned been cold over the years. How could she act so indifferent? Act so tough? He would rather have her avoid him all night, be evasive or get mad at him instead of being so civil and unaffected.

All night he had eyed her, and she was irritating him already. She was so easy to read; she laughed the loudest, been too friendly to everybody, and she acted as though she was the most felicitous person in the world.

Then again, was there really any problem with that? None. It was fine that she tried to act tough. But Kakashi felt that she was doing it to spite him, to show that she was all the better away from all of the people who ever cared for her. But he couldn't blame it against her; he knew she was still hurting. So much so that it pained Kakashi to see her trying so hard to evade the grief.

"Mmmm… You've been staring at the medic since, I don't know, since she came?" The Mizukage whispered to his ear, catching his attention since she had been doing so three times now.

"Ahhh. Was I too obvious?" he asked peevishly.

"You want to talk to her? You think you can get her back to your village? She looks pretty much loyal to Gaara, don't you think?"

"Perhaps so. But she and I have an unfinished business."

"Oh! Unfinished business?" said the Mizukage, quite intrigued.

"Maybe you could arrange for us a private moment outside or somewhere, if possible?"

"Kakashi-san!"

This time, he faced her with a serious face and a serious tone that would have made anyone obey. "Mei-san, Sakura was my old student. She had run away from Konoha for her own personal reasons. Now that I have seen her again after a long while, I think it's time that she hears what I should have said years ago. Before she turns into a stranger her friends would no longer recognize."

* * *

><p>Consequently, the Mizukage had led Sakura to the veranda to lure her away from the crowd. She boasted of the beautiful garden with a wide view of mossy forest back-dropped by a distant karst mountain, now with a hue of blue from the night sky.<p>

It was still raining, of course, but had lessened in intensity; more like tolerable drizzles that soothed Saukra's disturbed aura.

"Wow! Mizukage-sama, your garden is beautiful."

The leader chuckled. "I know. I come here an hour everyday just to take the view in. The mountains look even better when the moon's out in a clear sky."

"Mmm, they're perfect." Sakura moved towards the rails, unmindful of the rain as she closed her eyes to relish the evening. An attempt to calm herself.

"I'll leave you to your musings, Haruno-san," and the Mizukage moved out. Back at the party, she signaled the Hokage that things were in order.

Moments later, Kakashi left the room to join Sakura enjoy the mystic beauty of the Mist. However, Kakashi had another thing in mind.

He knew his students better than anyone; thus he knew that Team Seven were all stubborn as a prick. Once he let her know of his presence, she would storm out.

Hence, he did what he had done to his two other students to force them to listen.

In a flick of his fingers, Kakashi manipulated a thread around Sakura against one of the railings. To spite her, he tied her hands above her head and bound her so tightly from stomach to toes.

"Kakashi! What the hell is this?" She screamed, struggling in vain.

"I need to talk to you, Sakura-chan."

"Yes, I get that. But there's a civil way of doing it, baka!"

"But a woman like you would not even have the heart to loan an ear."

She simply scoffed. "Then out with it. Gaara's waiting for me inside."

"Not so fast. I have a lot to say to you."

"Oh, put a sock in it, Kakashi. I've already heard what you'd have to say."

"Just wake up, Sakura," he began, prompting a step towards her.

"Hate will lead me nowhere, is that right, sensei?" she mocked.

"Yes, well I believe you have said the same things to Sasuke. Now you're as selfish and arrogant and closed-minded as he once was."

"Whose fault do you think was it?"

"I understand that. You've been through horrors I couldn't imagine myself," said Kakashi, trying hard to keep his voice firm. "But you don't have to push everyone who cares for you away. We've been with you almost all your life; we would have done everything to carry the burden with you."

All Sakura could do was close her eyes to spare herself from the intense weight of her old master's stare.

"I don't care if you'd never return to Konoha, or if you'd choose to live in Suna or whatever. All I'm asking is for you to stop the hate and let us back it."

Kakashi didn't know if she was actually listening, but he'd have to take the message across, one way or another. He tucked his hands inside his pockets and moved to lean beside the railings.

"Hisashi's seven now, and I'm betting she'll be genin next year. She had managed very well without a mother, for she had Sai and Naruto taking good care of her. She has Ino and Hinata-san and Ten-ten by her side always. Shizune, too. She's a very lucky kid; far from the cursed Uchiha she should be. All because Hisa-chan grew up with love from the people around her." There was a hesitant pause before he continued. "I just pray that hate would not stem from the very person who bore her.

"I agreed to bring you to Suna to heal, not to distance yourself from those who love you. You've changed for the worse, Sakura. I cannot feel any emotion from you, only indifference. You've lost your heart, your humanity."

"Kakashi," she hoarsely whispered, after a tensed silence. "I never wanted to hate her, would never want to hate my own child. But I couldn't stop it. It stays there, Kakashi; I thought in time, it'd go away. Ignore it; then maybe it'll disappear. But it never did. I still hate her for being a living remnant of a past I wanted so badly to forget."

"It was a past you gambled to keep Sasuke alive, Sakura. Don't you remember?" This. This was what she had failed to consider.

Air got stuck in her throat as she hitched a breath. She had never thought of it that way, she painfully realized.

"You had done something so valiant, and now you regret. What do you think would Sasuke feel had he heard you?"

"This has nothing to do with Sasuke at all," she interrupted. "Stop using him to make me undone."

"It has everything to do with him, Sakura! You agreed to Madara's wish all to keep Sasuke alive," Kakashi pointed out, unable to keep the intensity from his voice. "I may never understand what you've been through; but I'd forever look up to your selfless sacrifice. You have done something very few would do.

"Thus, it should be pride, and not hatred, you'd be feeling. Rape had taken only your body, but never your heart. Not even your soul. Always remember that. It's time you stop thinking you were a victim of it; for even when you've been violated a thousand time, it will never change the fact that you are Haruno Sakura."

Yes. Yes, he was right. Didn't she say the same thing to herself before? Back then at that cursed room?

And yet, time had finally created a fortress so high, she had lived in it so comfortably. She needed additional time, yet again, to heal. For real, this time.

Sakura was openly crying now; Kakashi's words hit home so hard she couldn't think straight, couldn't discern the right feeling to have. She couldn't say anything back.

The Hokage had already untied the ropes that bound her. She sank to the floor and wrapped herself to keep her from sobbing uncontrollably.

It had been years since she allowed herself to let loose, to let herself drown in emotions. Kakashi knelt before her and laid a hand in her head, like he usually did when these kids were young.

"Come on, Sakura, let's get back inside." But she never moved. Instead, she curled up on the floor and drowned in her tears.

Sasuke. Would it really be enough to forget the pain and say it was all for Sasuke she went through all the suffering? Maybe so. But now, was it still worth it to forgive when the one she had sacrificed a part of her life to was already dead?

Perhaps his death had nothing to do with her sacrifices; after all she had kept him alive as she had planned. Then, perhaps it was just bitterness eating her up. Unable to get past his death, more so with all the inauspicious events that had transpired in her life.

Could it be that Madara's child with her had been an unfortunate being to whom Sakura could vent all the resentment to? Perhaps so. Then, how cruel she had become.

She allowed years pass her by; but how much time did she need to feel fine? Time never helped one heal. It could only make one temporarily forget.

But it could undo everything in just a few, calculated events. If so, then time was by far crueler than she was.

How long should she have to wait for her heart to beat once more with a soul devoid of darkness?

* * *

><p>She was indeed taking her time lying on the floor. Kakashi had already left, maybe half an hour ago. But it was another thirty minutes until Gaara came for her.<p>

She must have been asleep, as the Kage tried to move her. But just as she was about to carry her up, he put her down. He then left her, after Gaara softly – he grunted – stroked her head.

When she finally stood, she wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her kimono, randomly pinned the loose hairs falling down her face, and fixed the obi tightly around her waist.

Afterwards, she went back inside. Yet just minutes later, the distraught woman moved out of the building, Gaara tailing her like the stupid dog he was.

"Gaara, I know my way to my own house. I'll be fine." Said dog finally gave up and silently stood at the doorway until Sakura was out of sight.

However, the worn-out girl in a kimono didn't go straight home as she promised.

Sasuke was confused. He had followed Sakura from the Mizukage's place. In fact, he had been watching her since she and Gaara took off from her apartment. So, he was positive that she wasn't on her way home.

It was quite difficult for an international criminal already presumed dead to be stalking around the Mizukage's house. So he was a few hundred meters away, with only is Sharingan to rely on. He had witnessed the scene between Kakashi and Sakura, alright, but was unable to make out of their conversation for Sakura was bound with her back to him and Kakashi's mouth was covered, making it difficult to lip-read.

Going around the forest at the back of the Kage's mansion was nothing new to Sasuke, for he was familiar of a path nearby that led to the mountains. Also there had been times before that Taka had to monitor the Kage, and they had done so at a distance, sheltered perfectly by the mossy forest.

When Sasuke saw Sakura went back in, he moved so that the side windows were visible; but he saw her at the front door instead. For that, he moved closer.

However, he had known Kirigakure long enough to guess Sakura planned to go someplace else.

She was walking promptly, alertly, with no signs of her being lost in thought.

Sasuke couldn't understand the situation Sakura was in with Kakashi. But if the Rokudaime had tied her up and she was moping the way she was, the Sakura must've been in deep shit – stubborn as she was. And what was Gaara's role in all of these? Why was he acting as though he had known her well enough, no, too well much to Sasuke's liking.

Wasn't she married to that painter guy or something? After all, they had a kid together.

Sasuke followed Sakura to town, with so many questions confusing him. He was now walking less than ten meters away. If she had heard his footsteps, which she should have with all her kunoichi trainings, then she didn't heed.

When buildings and establishments were already in view, he closed in. They were at the othr side of town, where it was the busiest at night.

She then entered casually in a pub filled mostly by men. This was an inappropriate place for women, especially in an attire such as hers. Sakura walked towards an empty table near the counter and signaled to the waiter as she sat.

"Two bottles of warm sake, please. His eyes narrowed as he watched her from the entrance before taking a seat in a corner.

He didn't know if he'd be pleased at the fact that people weren't eyeing him for being so mysteriously cloaked, since all eyes were on the young lady who just boldly joined in their nightly debauchery.

Tch! Sasuke gritted his jaw. She was clearly looking for trouble. True enough, when her order came, she gulped one bottle down until it was empty. She held her coughs and distaste in after putting the bottle down.

She was really stupid, he thought. She just went on and rigged the whole bottle down her throat without even observing the etiquette of pouring it in a sake cup.

And just when Sasuke thought she was quite able to handle alcohol, he was proven wrong. For she was still as new to liquor as the first time he saw her drink that memorable night in the Land of Iron a long, long time ago. One bottle of sake was enough to get her drunk; more so when she quaffed it all down in one go, he's betting she wouldn't be remembering anything anymore.

She was mindlessly twirling the bottle now, even the empty cup. Sasuke motioned for the waiter, but instead gave him a different kind of order.

"Go sit over there and talk to her," he pointed his head towards Sakura's table.

"What? Why would I do that?"

"Because I'm paying you to do so," he snapped, as he slammed a bill worth a hundred down the table. "Now do as you're told and don't tell her I ordered you."

The money would have been a week's supply of food for the team. But Sasuke didn't seem to regret what he just did. After all, it's not like he's living in poverty now. He's still an Uchiha. He found ways.

The waiter occupied the empty seat next to her. "Isn't that too much for you to handle?" he started.

"There's nothing I couldn't handle," she answered. "Shall I buy you a drink?"

"No, that's fine. I'm still on shift."

"On shift? Then what are you doing sitting with a lonely girl like me?" she slurred, now unable to keep her head up.

"You're lonely, huh?"

"Oh, you have no idea," was her response, as she eyed the man while she went for another gulp on the second bottle.

Sasuke didn't know why he asked the waiter to sit with her. Maybe because she looks so broken, she needed company. Or that curious part of him provoked him, where he wanted to know what was happening to her. Then again, Sasuke knew from experience that Sakura was a bad drinker and a bad drunk, in which she wouldn't remember anything anymore with just one bottle.

So why would he go about giving a hundred to some random guy to talk to her? When he knew the probability of this man harassing her in the process; and he knew how much he wanted to ask the questions himself.

Well, for one, the revelation of his existence would be quite complicated. His security, as well as hers, was at stake. But perhaps it would be her answers which hindered him to confront her.

"If you ever get lonely again, miss, you know where to find me." Sasuke saw the man winked.

In turn, she giggled. "Oh, if you ever get sick, just look for Haruno Sakura at the hospital and you'll have the best medical experience you'll ever have."

"Ah, Haruno Sakura, is it?"

"Yep!"

"Tell me, Haruno Sakura, what are you doing in the the hospital?"

"Hmm, let's see. Well, I'm a doctor there."

"A doctor! Then, why haven't I seen you in town before?"

"That's because I just moved here. I'm originally from Suna."

Suna? Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"So what's a Suna doctor doing here in the Mist? Sand's too boring for you?"

"Nah," Sakura answered, taking another drink. "The Mizukage requested for assistance and I'm here to train the medics."

"Whoa! Seriously? Then you're some bigtime medic ninja?"

She chuckled. "I don't know about being bigtime; but yeah, I'm a medicnin."

"What a lame-ass attempt to be humble," he joked.

"What a jerk!" As they were sharing a laugh, the dim lue and red lights went off at the far end of the bar. Only then did Sasuke notice a stage with guitars and mic propped up.

"Hey, Haruno Sakura, do you have any place you need to be, with you dressed so elegantly like that?"

As she shook her head, he beamed and stood up.

"Great! Be my guest," the waiter winked at her again and turned to take his apron off, then headed to the stage. His eyes were forever fixed to the only female in the room, even when he hung the guitar over his shoulder and signaled the two band members behind him to start playing.

As the drums started a soft beating, and the bassist on the other side of the waiter plucked gently, he said over the microphone, "Thank you everyone for coming here tonight. Enjoy the food, the booze and the music."

All the while, Sakura was flabbergasted with the waiter's random actions. She had turned to watch him up the stage, hence prompting Ssuke to stand and move toward the door where he had a vantage view of her and that straightforward waiter.

He started strumming, still gazing over her. "For the loneliest woman in the room." Then, he closed his eyes to sing. Sakura was flustered, but she was smiling genuinely at his gesture. This certainly wasn't the effect of alcohol, Sasuke mused.

_Fell past a cheekbone hill_

_To a piece of her floor_

_The hope of the world in an awkward spill._

_Oh, she'd lie on her bed_

_And stare into harsh white light_

_And think that her heart's not right._

_Cause love took her hand like a thief,_

_Took her heart like a robber_

_And the feelings that scare her become her relief._

Sasuke had blocked out everything around him – the people, the lights, the aroma of fermented rice and alcohol, the music – to silently watch the woman breaking silently across him.

It wasn't long after her face had radiated a wonderful smile that her cheeks looked strain and her eyes could no longer keep up with the contact. Sasuke could clearly see her tight grip on the sake bottle and how she painfully bit the sides of her cheeks.

There were pools in her eyes, of which she refused to let go of. Would it reliever her if she cry it all out? Would it fix her if he revealed himself tonight?

_Just let me run where I want to run_

_Just let me love who I want._

_In a flash her heart is slain, you have to ask in all this pain.__  
><em>_Was your heart too soft? Was your love in vain?__  
><em>_Was your kiss too weak? Were your eyes too tired?__  
><em>_And much too young to be in love?__  
><em>_And much too young to be in love?_

_Just keep your head and don't give up.__  
><em>_Or call the fools who date smart.__  
><em>_Lose your head just for your heart.__  
><em>_Just for your heart._

Sakura took one last drink from her bottle before standing. The waiter suddenly stopped singing, but continued abruptly. She turned to the stage and smiled to the man singing his heart out.

"Thank you," she mouthed and bowed low. She ran through the door, past Sasuke whose eyes spied her under his hood.

Still, Sasuke couldn't understand what could have upset her. Her current situation, Kakashi, Gaara, her tears. It didn't seem to make sense at all.

Of course, he continued to tail her, and found her sitting on a bench on the outskirts of town. She was gazing at the entrance gate just meters away from her position, as though contemplating whether making her way past it would be the best idea.

Whatever happened to her? She wasn't that headstrong woman he had grown to know years ago. Today, he found her in a feeble state of breaking down, and she had refused everyone who tried to comfort her.

Was it, perhaps, his death that brought such sadness upon her?

He just stood there, watching her from her sides as she gazed upon the great gates. Was she, perhaps, waiting for something? It reminded him of his flight from Konoha decades ago. But he didn't allow his thoughts to linger in such distant memories.

For doing so could break his resolve of not sharing that empty seat beside her.

They both stayed like that for a while; him looking after her at a distance, and her with eyes so hollow.

Hours later, he noticed her head rolling to her sides; then moments after, she laid herself on the cold bench. It was just how he left her as he fled from the village a long time ago.

This woman really had no decency at all. She was new in a strange town, wearing thin kimono in the middle of the night, and she had to choose an inappropriate place to sleep. Really, Sasuke muttered, she's annoying. As always.

Even after all these years. Even when she had supposedly grown older and wiser, she couldn't take care of herself. Must here always someone reminding her that, reprimanding her, looking after her? She slept there with the whole world ready to feast upon her body; from mosquitoes, to frogs, wandering beasts, and men!

And to top everything, that stupid woman was drunk.

She was, in his eyes, fragile and vulnerable and masking under a façade of strength and stability. For even a thousand battles she had won with just a sheer powerful stroke of her fist, after molding large vessels of chakra into her tiny arms, she frowned as everyone went home after the celebratory toast. For her heart continued to grieve for everything she had lost in order to win.

In his eyes, she was no longer the cheerful girl and she had lost each childish enthusiasm, just as he had. As Naruto and probably Kakashi had. Just as every shinobi had outgrown and had forgotten.

In Sasuke's eyes, even when Sakura had bloomed to be one of the best fighters and had made a name for herself, the sorrow paid for all the glory would never suit her. For she was spring: young and fresh and always hopeful, always cheery. Always light and sunshine; always everything he's not.

Seeing her broken in every possible way, seeing her now in disillusionment, as she had been the last time they were together, made him believe that there can only be this kind of life for him.

But still, as he leapt to sit on the tree branch above him, as he leaned back and watched her sleep on a distant bench, still there was this familiar, old feeling of willing obligation to be the one to look after her, be the one to protect her and keep her away from everything that could make her cry.

Then again, if it was him who caused her troubles, would he be willing enough to stay away, as he had been doing for almost all his life?

Could spring handle the freezing death winter brought?

The drizzles slowly turned to rain, and there was an urgent need for shelter. Sakura was a medic, a very good one. Should she catch colds, she could easily cure it.

But her desolation had turned a switch in him, and he instantly jumped down from the tree to scoop her up from where she lay – so careful not to wake her. Reasons and logic were all thrown out of his rational mind as he carried her back to town, and hopefully secretly bring her back to her house.

Sasuke focused on the cold rain, since if he allowed himself to feel that warmth in his arms, he might certainly be turning around and rushing towards the mountains instead – taking Sakura with him.

It was an awfully lot of willpower to refuse that option when she suddenly stirred and peered at him with dreamy, or was it sleepy, eyes.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun's ghost," she mumbled; alcohol reeked from her mouth that Sasuke wanted to scold her right then and there. "Sasuke-kun's ghost looks so real; you look like him, smell like him. You even smirked like him."

He couldn't look at her, and instead just had his eyes on the road. But if he would, he'd melt instantly for she was the happiest girl he could ever see, despite the rush of tears that blended with the pouring rain.

"Sasuke, you are the most annoying person I have ever met, but, t-thank you. Thank you for finally visiting me. I have prayed for your ghost forever," she said, finally closing her eyes again.

"I don't ever want to wake up again," was her last whispers, as she curled to sleep in his arms.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Right on time, as promised. But still, sorry for the very long hiatus.

It was depressing me to continue writing, the final scenes of this chapter. But I had to stop there, else the magic might be lost. Hope you still like this new development.

Readers of _Of Redemption_, I hope you had that nostalgic feeling as I had remembering the story.

Tell me what you think! ~enjoy :3

**Insert song: Love Affair, by Copeland**


	8. Can She Hear My Heart Coming Through

**Chapter 8: Can She Hear My Heart Coming Through on the Door Between**

* * *

><p>Later into the night, Gaara found the owner of the apartment sitting pissed drunk at the steps outside the door. He had been in her house an hour or so; when she wasn't anywhere inside, he decided to look for her in town, but eventually dropped the idea. He had the feeling that maybe she needed time for herself.<p>

But then, the Kazekage had grown impatient waiting for Sakura. She had left the party some minutes past nine. It was now nearing two in the morning. When he finally resolved to scouring the whole town for her, she was just there sleeping, with her body leaning to the doorframe.

It confused him, however, since there was a distinct chakra signature that was suddenly masked and then disappeared as he opened the door. Gaara swiftly scanned the area with his eyes, the lined trees in front of her apartment, the roofs, the neighbors, anywhere that could be a potential hideout.

He would've ventured out for a full inspection, but there was Sakura to tend. She was dripping wet from the rain, and so fast asleep she couldn't have been walking around in such a state. Perhaps the chakra he felt was the person who brought her home. But the hidden chakra? Could it have been a ninja, too? Possible. Not Kakashi, though, he thought, since there was no point for the Hokage to be secretive. Or was there a Kiri-nin kind enough to bring her back? A suitor, maybe? Quite possible, Gaara frowned.

It couldn't have been something dangerous, though? A stalker, or an abductor who had made bad blood with her? Hopefully not. But his intuition didn't bother him as when danger could strike. And so, he carried her up into the house, instead.

She was seriously wet; would it be best to dry her off before laying her down to the bed? _Of course!_ He answered himself. But, there was no way he should be doing that, right? He wouldn't! If she caught colds, then that's what she got for staying out in the rain!

He picked her up from the steps and led her to her bedroom, while she was oblivious of everything around her. If he wouldn't be taking her clothes off to dry, then he might as well pat her dry. Towels and blankets were easily found, prompting Gaara to dab her body with the towel and cover her with thick blankets. Hopefully, she wouldn't catch the flu as fast otherwise.

Somehow, to Gaara, it was also forgotten, either intentionally or subconsciously, that his patient was a renowned doctor. But still, he carried on. Perhaps it was initial reaction, instinct, or standard operating procedure of the male species to tend to females; their alpha gene to look after vulnerable pretty girls, rescue maidens in distress. Perhaps it was their own little assurance to brokenhearted women that their lean, broad shoulders could carry their pesky baggage for them.

To Gaara, as he sat by the edge of the bed and as he lay her head upon his lap for him to dry her hair, as he combed each strand, every pink strand, to him, it was his humble service he could do every morning, every night for the rest of their lives. If she would only let him, then by god he would.

But each time he offered himself wholly and eternally, there was always something to remind him that he was up against a ghost that would never be laid to rest. Not when she, herself, wouldn't put the dead to where it belonged – rotten, forgotten and all bones, six feet underground.

Not when she still whispered the darned dead man's name in her sleep.

"-suke… kun… Sas… kun…"

As Gaara finished his selfless duties and prepared to tuck her in, he vowed that everything had to end by tomorrow. That tomorrow, he would finally put his right foot forward and insist. Tomorrow, he would tell her to choose him instead, to let go and move on with him, to please, please let him pick up her broken pieces, for he would look at her shards of glass with eyes marveling at bright yet tarnished emerald and jade and wilted cherry blossoms and fallen stars.

Yes, he would. And with frustration and his own pent-up broken heartache and grim eyes, he watched her sleep. She was peaceful like the night outside her window, but everything was in chaos inside her, inside him. As though he could make everything alright, or just to make him believe that he could make things fine, he knelt beside her and took her soft hands.

As she continued to dream of the dead and call him with her little lips that knew nothing but of lost love that would never come to be, Gaara leant to silence her moving mouth with his very own. It was like hitting two birds with one stone: shut her up and let his feelings reach her.

Even in her dreams, he hoped he had reached her.

But it was uncertain whether it ever did, his feelings, for she was not awake to witness it. It was only him, and mosquitoes and maybe bedbugs and a pair of swirling eyes watching from a distance, always only from a distance.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note: <strong>Dear Readers, it has been so long and I am sorry for not updating. I've written this chapter years ago, but wasn't able to finish it. After reading it again for the first time ever, I just can't let this Gaara Monologue go to waste by waiting for the rest of the chapter to be wrapped up. So, I am updating it as a consolation to everyone whom I have kept waiting. I hope you loved it as much as my heart is breaking every time I imagine Gaara beside her bed, every time I try to write in Sakura's shoes in this story, and every time I feel Sasuke's frustration as he can only watch her from afar.

I cannot promise for a next update, for I have been experiencing writer's block for years now. Though the recent Naruto chapters are giving me inspiration. I hope Sasusaku writers out there get some, too, to revive the Sasusaku Golden Age we had so many moons ago.

Again, thank you, give me love and see you soon!


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